Hookah Lounge and Bar License in Rajasthan

Embark on an exciting journey to unlock the secrets of obtaining a Hookah Lounge License in the enchanting state of Rajasthan. Discover the simple yet essential steps that pave the way for your dream hookah lounge to become a reality. From navigating the paperwork to understanding the fees involved, we’ll guide you through the process in plain, easy-to-understand language.

Rajasthan bar license is a document of permission granted to a bar for the retail sale of liquor to its bonafide members for consumption in the prescribed premises. To promote tourism, Rajasthan Government has removed the restriction for Restaurant Bars. The Land of Kings (Rajasthan) & Pink City (Jaipur) might be the many people’s showcase destination in north India. Thus, the demand for bars has steadily grown, and the running of a bar has become a very lucrative business. After the petrol pump and gas agencies, a bar can be among the most profitable investment. The Government of Rajasthan issues bars license under the Rajasthan Excise Act to regulate the consumption and sales of liquor.

Hookah AND BAR Lounge License in Rajasthan

Overview of Hookah Lounge License in Rajasthan

A hookah lounge license is a legal authorization or permit granted by the relevant government authorities that allow an individual or entity to operate a hookah lounge business in a specific location. It is necessary to obtain this license to ensure that the hookah lounge operates in compliance with the law and meets the prescribed regulations and standards.

Rajasthan Excise Act

Rajasthan bar license is mandatory under the provisions of Rajasthan Excise Act. This act moderates the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of liquor which includes spirits, Liquor, Tari, Pachawar, Beer, IMF and all liquid consisting of alcohol. Beer includes ale, stout, porter and all other fermented Liquors made from malt.

IMFL means foreign Liquor made in India, i.e. Indian Made Foreign Liquor

Importance of Bar License

Some of the significance of obtaining Rajasthan bar license is explained here:  

  • Bar license is used to mitigate the unnecessary sale of liquor, drug licenses are provided for monitoring the mechanism.
  • It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, distribute or sell intoxicating liquor without a drug license issued by the Rajasthan Government
  • There is a requirement to regulate the selling of alcohol and to maintain the health and peace in the State, there is a requirement to monitor the sale of liquor, and hence a drug license is necessary.

Classification of Bar License

According to the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1973, Rajasthan Drug License can be classified in the following categories:

  • Restaurant bar license
  • Club bar license
  • Hotel bar license

Restaurant bar license– Restaurant license means retail on the license for the sale of beer, Wine and Ready to Drink Liquor granted to a Restaurant which makes the sale to customers for consumption in Restaurant premises. Restaurant bar license is issued under Rajasthan Excise Act, 1973.

Club bar License- Club bar license means a license granted to a club for the retail sale of foreign liquor to its bonafide members for consumption in the club premises. Club bar License & hotel bar license is issued under the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950.

Hotel bar license- Hotel bar license means retail on the permit for the sale of foreign liquor granted to a hotel which makes sales international and Indian tourists and visitors residing in it for consumption in a room earmarked for serving alcohol or such other part of the hotel as may be approved by the Rajasthan Government.

Basic Requirements

The requirement for Standard Restaurant Bar

Restaurant means that any place to which the public is admitted for the Consumption of food or drink. The excellent quality Restaurant can be able to sell Beer, Wine and Ready to Drink Liquor:

  • Minimum Annual Turnover of Restaurant Bar should be Rs 10 Lac Taxable and Turnover Income Rs 5 Lac
  • The bar should have A.C. Facility
  • The bar should be a minimum space of 800 square feet and should have a capacity of around 40 people to sit
  • The bar should be Proper Toilet Facility available for Man and Woman
  • Restaurant Bar will sell only Beer
  • Restaurant Bar will not sell Beer/Wine/Ready to Drink to under 18 people

The requirement for Hotel Bar

Hotel means all Tourist Bungalows and hotels run by the Department of Tourism and Hotel Corporation of the Rajasthan Government and the Government of India.

Hotel with at least twenty bedrooms which is adjudged to be of an at least two-star hotel by the Tourism Department, Government of India will also need to get a bar license.

Heritage hotels

Heritage hotels having hotel bar license can effect retails off the sale of Heritage Liquor produced by the Rajasthan State Ganganagar Sugar Mills Ltd. By visiting official website of Rajasthan State Excise Department, 

The requirement for Club bar

Club bar is further classified as a civil club and the commercial club as follows:

Civil club Bar

Civil club means an association of minimum a hundred persons for social, recreational purposes or for the promotion of some common aim on joint expenses without motive to gain profit and duly registered under Rajasthan Society Registration Act, 1958. The civil club should have the following facilities:

  • Swimming Pool
  • Gymnasium having Physical exercise equipment
  • Badminton hall/Squash Court
  • Billiards/Pool table
  • Cards room
  • Lawn tennis court

Commercial Club Bar

Commercial Club Bar means a duly registered company or firm any organization or association of persons for business and recreational purposes having at least a hundred members. To operate the commercial bar, it should have the following facilities:

  • Swimming Pool
  • Gymnasium having Physical exercise equipment
  • Badminton hall/Squash Court
  • Billiards/Pool table
  • Cards room
  • Lawn tennis court

Eligibility Criteria

Any person who owns and runs a club/hotel/restaurant as defined above can apply for Rajasthan bar license. 

Bar licenses will not be issued to the following persons:

  • A person convicted for any offence under the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950 or the Opium Act, 1878 is not eligible to apply for bar license:
  • If a person is found to have been convicted for any non-bailable offence by a criminal court will not be provided with Rajasthan bar license
  • If there are any arrears of excise dues outstanding against a person who owns and run hotel/club/restaurant is not eligible to get a bar license
  • The Rajasthan bar license will not be issued to a person who is below the age of 18 years

Prescribed Authority

The Excise Commissioner of the Rajasthan State Excise Department grants bar license as per the provisions of Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950.

Validity

Rajasthan bar license granted under the Orissa Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950/1975 will be valid on 31st March of the year in which the bar license is issued.

Applicable Fee

For applying for a Hotel bar/club bar/Restaurant bar License, the applicant has to pay the initial license amount as prescribed other. 

S.NoCategoryInitial fee for a license (in Lakhs)
Restaurant bar License
1Restaurants situated within 5 km of municipal or urban agglomeration limit 
Jaipur and Jodhpur 4
Other Divisional Headquarters, Mt. Abu and Jaisalmer3.25
Other District Headquarters2.50
Other Municipalities and Bhiwadi (District Alwar)2
2Other places not mentioned above1
Hotel Bar License
1Luxury Hotel / Train 
Five Star Hotel15
Four Star Hotel10
Three Star Hotel8
Luxury Train8
2Heritage Hotel 
Category A8
Category B5
Category C3
3Other Hotel 
Hotels situated in and within 5 KM. of the municipal limits of 
  • Jaipur and Jodhpur
7.5
  • Other Divisional Head Quarters, Mt. Abu and Jaisalmer
6.5
  • Other District Headquarters
5.5
  •  Other Municipalities and Bhiwadi (District. Alwar)
4
Situated in other places not recovered by Clause i3
Club Bar License
1Civil Club Bar 
Jaipur and Jodhpur2
In Other Places1.5
2Commercial Club Bar 
Jaipur and Jodhpur6
In other places4

Every application for a Hotel Bar license site visit will be accompanied by the non-refundable process fee equivalent to an amount of 10% of regular initial fee or Rs. 10,000 whichever is higher.

Documents required for obtaining Hookah Lounge License in Rajasthan

When applying for a Hookah Lounge License in Rajasthan, you will typically need to provide the following documents:

  • Application Form
  • Proof of Identity
  • Proof of Address
  • Incorporation Documents (if applicable)
  • Layout Plan
  • No Objection Certificates (NOCs)
  • Health and Fire Safety Certificates
  • Undertaking
  • Affidavit
  • Passport-sized Photographs
  • Any Additional Documents as per local requirements (e.g., police verification certificate, income tax returns, bank statements).

Procedure to Obtain Hookah Lounge and Bar License in Rajasthan

Step 1: The person desirous to start a bar in Rajasthan need to submit an application form in prescribed format to the District Excise Officer in whose jurisdiction the bar is proposed to be operated before for the issue of bar license.

Verification by DEO

Step 2: The District Excise Officer concerned will initial the application noting the date of receipt and cause of application to be entered in a register in a prescribed format. The DEO will notify the applicant about the application.

Make Payment

Step 3: If the District Excise Officer accepts the application, the applicant needs to make the payment within fifteen days from the date of notification.

Step 4: The initial fee and process fee will have to be deposited in the Rajasthan State treasury, and a   challan copy supplied by the Treasury needs to be enclosed with the application.

Site Verification

Step 5: On receipt of the application, the document verification and site inspection will be conducted by a team of officers of Rajasthan State Excise Department appointed by the District Step 6: Excise Officer. The team will inspect the location of the premises where the foreign liquor will be stored and the counters where it will be sold.

Step 7: The District Excise Officer will forward the application along with his/her recommendation to the Excise Commissioner.

Note: The DEO will also record a note whether the applicant is suffering from any of the disabilities to hold a Rajasthan drug license

Verification by Excise Commissioner

Step 8: The Excise Commissioner will again verify the documents and recommendation furnished by the DEO. On receipt of satisfactory, a Rajasthan bar license may be issued.

Note: In case of rejection of the application, the applicant needs to make a fresh application duly complying with the requirements in the same procedure as described above.

Get Rajasthan Drug License

Step 9: Rajasthan drug license can be obtained from the concerned Exercise department office. Provide application number and get your Rajasthan drug license.

Occasional Rajasthan Bar License

Bar licenses can also be granted for occasional sale or possession (beyond the permissible limits) of IMFL or beer on occasions like marriage, birthday, and new years. There are two categories of such licenses as follows:

  • License for consumption
  • License for sale

Apply for Occasional Rajasthan Bar License

The occasional license can be obtained from the concern District Excise Officer. The fee for obtaining a license is given here:

S.NoType of LicenseFee

 

1

 

 

License for consumption

 

 

Rs. 1000

2

License for sale

 

Rs. 5000

Rajasthan drug License Renewal Procedure

Rajasthan drug License needs to be renewed not less than thirty days and not more than ninety days before the earliest day on which such license expires. The applicant has to apply for bar license renewal in the prescribed format to concerned DEO.

Non-Renewal of the license within the time limit may result in loss of eligibility for insurance coverage and appropriate legal action by Rajasthan Government, Excise Department or any other Department body.

FAQs

What is a Hookah and Bar Lounge License?

A Hookah and Bar Lounge License allows an establishment to serve and allow the consumption of hookahs and alcoholic beverages on their premises.

Who issues the Hookah and Bar Lounge License in Rajasthan?

The licensing authority for such establishments in Rajasthan is typically the State Excise Department.

What are the eligibility criteria for obtaining the license?

Eligibility criteria can vary, but generally, the applicant must be an adult and not have a criminal record. The establishment must comply with safety and health regulations.

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